please answer, I live in Iran, every one rejects me even doctorsAug 1, 2003

Hi Dr Bob,
Thank you for your great answers on this site, you are really nice and brilliant. I got really sorry when I read on your biography that you got HIV from a patient once, but your high morale with that smile on your face is a great boost in everyones morale who visits this site, indeed.
Before starting my story let me tell you that I live in a middle east country (Iran) in which the Aids cases are still low but unfortunately is growing and there is no authority over the spread of the disease and prostitution both. About 3 months a go I had sex with a prostitute who was feeling sick at the time of sex (my foolish mistake to have sex with her, she lives in downtown) she had kind of sore throat and fever and fatigue. She told me she got some cold or some thing and I, with all my stupidity, didnt care about that. I wore a condom, all over, but some rough action that made the condom to pull up about one or two centimeters. No breakage or leakage only pulling up some how. I have had strange confusing symptoms, during a week night sweats and pain in right arm, from 3 to 6 weeks pain in the neck, headache, more pain in the muscles but only right part of my body, no fever or fatigue. After leading 3 weeks of apparent health, some other symptoms have come up (at 10 weeks to 14 weeks) like rash (itchy), difficulty swallowing, itchy eyes, eyelids and cheeks, mild abdominal pain which look like atypical signs of HIV. Anyhow, I got tested (antibody test) at 60 days, negative. Again at 95 days, steel negative. But the symptoms dont go away, specially difficulty swallowing, I dont know how accurate were the tests I really think I have HIV but my body has not yet produced enough antibodies. Since AIDS has not yet become a serious problem in my country like in USA, almost there is no specialist here in this case so that I can get help from, taking this into consideration, your expert help and answer will be highly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello,

Whether you live in Iran or Beverly Hills, HIV cannot pass through a properly used latex condom. The fact it pulled up several centimeters does not place you at any greater risk. Second, a negative test at 3 months or greater (95 days in your case) definitely rules out HIV. Your symptoms are not at all suggestive of HIV disease. So to sum up, your risk was essentially nonexistent; your symptoms are not suggestive of HIV; and your HIV test beyond 3 months from the potential exposure is negative. At this point, you don't need an AIDS specialist, as HIV is definitely not your problem.

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